Swab packages



Jan. 31, 1967 R, GUYER 3,301,391

SWAB PACKAGES Filed Sept. 10, 1964 INVENTOR Fir/V0403 Guns/z 77.; h v 17 BY ATTORNEY United States Patent "ice 3,301,391 SWAB PACKAGES Revnolds Guyer, White Bear Lake, Minn., assignor to Waldorf Paper Products Company, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Sept. 10, 1964. Ser. No. 395,509 2 Claims. (Cl. 206-56) This invention relates to an improvement in swab packages and deals particularly with a package used for containing a plurality of elongated articles such as doubleended swabs to that they may be simply and easily removed.

An object of the present invention resides in the provision of a swab package having a tray-like bottom portion and having a cover panel hinged tothe upper edge of one of the walls of the tray. The cover panel is provided with opposed top 'side wall panels and a. cover front wall panel hin-g'edly connected thereto. The side wall panels hinged to the coverare folded'against the side walls of the tray portion of the carton and are adhered thereto. The cover front panel is folded against the front wall of the bottom portion of the tray in 'such a manner that it may "be detached therefrom.

The invention alsoincludes weakened lines of separation in opposite sides of the cover panel. Theseweakened lines of separation extend from a point on the side edges of the cover panel spaced rearwardly from the forward edge thereof, and extend inwardly therefrom toward the center of the carton. The weakened lines then extend in converging relation to the fold line connecting the cover panel to the rear wall of the tray. When the area of the cover panel which is between the weakened lines of separation is detached from the remainder thereof, generally trapezoidal side portions of the cover panel remain intact, these trapezoidal side portions overlying the ends of the swabs to protect them. I

Cut lines extend along the fold lines connecting the cover panel to the cover side panels from the weakened line of separation to the forward end of the cover panel. Accordingly, when the cover front wall panel is detached from the front wall of the tray and pulled upwardly, the cover panel will separate along the weakened lines of separation which extend to the rear wall of the tray. This results in a dispensing opening in the cover panel which is the full width of the tray at the forward end thereof, and which tapers in width from this point to the rear wall, the opening being narrowest adjoining the rear panel of tray.

A. further feature of the present invention resides in the particular type of weakened lines of separation which are employed. The weakened lines employed are the type which include a cut score line in the outer surface of the paper, and a parallel or side-by-side cut score line in the inner surface of the paper. This type of weakened line of separation is not novel in the present invention, but serves an unusual purpose in the present case. The weakened lines of separation which are on the inner or under surface of the paperboard are closer together than the cut score lines in the outer surface of the board As a result, when the carton is opened, the paper-board splits intermediate the board surfaces between the two cut score lines, and a ledge is provided which acts as a support for the removable portion of the cover when the carton is reclosed. In other words, the two portions on opposite sides of the weakened lines overlap when the cover is reclosed so as to further protect the contents of the package.

A further feature of the invention resides in the fact that the swabs are arranged in layers separated by layer 3,301,391 Patented Jan. 31, 1967 sheets and the ends of the swabs underlie the portions of the cover which remain intact when the center portion thereof has been detached. As a result, the ends of the swab remain in a sanitary condition and the construction insures the grasping of the center portion of the shaft of the swab rather than an end portion thereof during the removal of the swab from the package.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

, FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the carton in closed position. f

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the carton with the removable portion of the cover hinged upwardly.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view through the carton, the position of the section being indicated by the line 3- -3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section through the empty carton, the position of the section being indicated by the line 4 -4 of FIGURE 1.

I FIGURE '5 is a diagrammatic view of the blank from which the carton is formed.

j FIGURE 6 is a bottom plan view of a portion of the blank illustrated in FIGURE 5.

As indicated in FIGURE 5 of the drawings, the carton A includes a rectangular bottom panel 10 hin-gedly connected along its front edge 11 to a front panel 12, and hin-gedly connected along a parallel fold line 13 to a rear wall'14. The remaining opposed sides of the bottom panel 10 are connected along fold lines 15 to side walls 16. jCorner flaps 17 are hingedly connected to the front wall 12 along fold lines 19 which are su-bstantially aligned with the fold lines 15. The rear wall 14 is similarly con nected to corner flaps 20 along parallel fold lines 21 which are substantially extensions of fold lines 15.

A cover panel 22 is connected to the upper edge of the rear wall 14 along a fold line 23. Cover side wall panels 24 are hingedly connected to opposite sides of the cover panel 22 along parallel fold lines 25 which are aligned with the fold lines 15. A tuck flap 26 is hinged to the forward end of the cover panel 22 along a fold line 27. In preferred form, the fold line 27 is interrupted inter mediate its ends by a U-shaped out line 29, the ends of which terminate on the .fold line 27. The cut line 29 defines a short projecting tab 30 integral with the top panel 22 and designed to extend forwardly therefrom when the tuck flap 26 is folded down at right angles to the top panel. The tuck flap 26 is preferably divided into an anchoring portion 31 and an end portion 32 by a fold line 33 extending to the parallel fold line 27.

The cover panel 22 is divided into a detachable center potrion 34 and opposite side portions 35 by weakened lines of separation "which are indicated in general by the numeral 36. The weakened lines of separation 36 each include a cut score line 37 in the upper or outer surface of the paperboard which extends inwardly toward the center of the top panel 'from a point spaced from the forward edge 27 of the top panel, and then curves to incline toward the rear edge 23 of the top panel, terminating ,in spaced relation to the center line of the top panel. The weakened lines of separation each also include a second cut score line 39 in the undersurface of the paperboard and which follows the contour of the cut score lines 37. The weakened lines of separation 36 thus define trapezoidal side portions 35 which are relatively narrow at the forward edge and which are relatively wide at the rear edge. As a result, when the cover is opened as indicated in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, the side portions 35 define a dispensing opening at the forward edge of the carton, and a tapered or wedgeshaped slot extending from the front dispensing opening to the rear wall of the carton.

Also, as is indicated in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, when the cover is opened, the. paperboard splits intermediate its inner and outer surfaces between the outer cut score lines 37 and the inner cut score lines 39 to provide ledges 44) which are designed to support the side edges of the detachable center portion 34. While the portion 34 has been described as a detachable portion, it normally remains connected to the rear wall of the carton as indicated in FIGURE 2 so the carton maybe reclosed to protect the contents.

The swabs D comprise slender shafts 41 of wood, rolled paper, or other suitable material and are provided at opposite ends with wads 42 of cotton or other siutable absorbent material. The swabs D are arranged in a series of superimposed layers, the layers being separated by dividing sheets 43. y

In forming the carton A, the side walls 16 are folded upwardly into right angular relation to the bottom panel 10. The front panel 12 andrear panel 14 are also erected, and the cornerfiaps 17 and 20 are preferably folded to lie inwardly of the side panels 16 and are adhered thereto to form an open-top tray. The cover panel 22 is then folded down and the cover side panels 24 folded to lie outwardly of the side walls 16. The tuck flap 26 is folded to overlie the front wall 12 and the anchoring portion 31 of this tuck flap is adhered to the front panel12.

In opening the carton, the end portion 32 of the tuck flap is grasped and pulled forwardlyto break the adhesive contact between the anchoring portion 31 and the front wall 12. The tuck flap is then pulled upwardly, the paperboard splitting intermediate the inner and outer-surfaces toform the ledges 40. The cover 34 maythen be swung upwardly andrearwardly to the extent necessary tomaintain the cover in open position as long as desired.

The swabs D are removed by lifting the foremost swab of the top layer upwardly through the aperture formed between the ends 44 of the cut lines 39, and the inner surface of the front wall 12. Each suceeding swab is removed by sliding same forwardly upon the liner sheet and lifting it through the dispensing opening. In view of the fact that the side portions 35 of the cover panel remain in place after the carton has been opened, the ends 42 of the swabs are protected from dust and dirt and also from contact with the hand in removing the swab from the carton. I

In accordance with. the patent statutes, I have-described the principles of construction and operation of my swab package; and while I have endeavored to-set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desireto have it understood that obvious changes maybe made-within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A dispensing package for use in combination with at least one layer of articles composed of a series of headed elongated similar articles of substantially equal length and width, the package comprising in combination:

a bottom panel,

front, rear, and side panels extending upwardly from the edges of said bottom panel, said side 'wall panels being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the length of said articles and tending to be frictionally engageable with the heads of. said articles,

corner flaps connected to the ends of certain of said panels and attached to the others to hold the wall panels in rectangular relation,

a cover panel hinged to the upper edge of said rear wall panel, cover side flaps secured overlying the side walls and adhered thereto,

weakened lines of separation in non-registered relation in opposite sides of said cover panel and extending inwardly from opposite side edges of .said cover panel at pointsspaced from, the forward end thereof a distance substantially equal to the width of said articles 1 and then rearwardly in converging relation to terminate in spaced relation at the fold connecting said rear wall to said cover panel and-cutlines extending, along the fold lines connecting said cover side ,fiapsfrom the forward ends of said. weakened lines to the forward edge of said cover panel,

whereby when said package is openedsaid cover panel portion is adapted to split intermediate the inner and outer su faces'to form ledges,

one said headed article adapted to be exposed for grasping intermediate its ends between the ends of said ledges and said front panel, I whereby heads of said articles are protected prior to removal from said package.

2. The structure of claim 1 and including a front cover flap hinged to the forward edge of ,said cover panel and detachablyconnected overlying said front panel.

References ited by the Examiner- 'UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,898,056 2/1933 Johnson 206-56 2,114,134 4/1938 Weiss 229 51 .2,606,653 8/1952 Knudson -2()657 FOREIGN PATENTS 489,677 8/1938 Great Britain.

JOSEPH -R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DISPENSING PACKAGE FOR USE IN COMBINATION WITH AT LEAST ONE LAYER OF ARTICLES COMPOSED OF A SERIES OF HEADED ELONGATED SIMILAR ARTICLES OF SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL LENGTH AND WIDTH, THE PACKAGE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A BOTTOM PANEL, FRONT, REAR, AND SIDE PANELS EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE EDGES OF SAID BOTTOM PANEL, SAID SIDE WALL PANELS BEING SPACED APART A DISTANCE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE LENGTH OF SAID ARTICLES AND TENDING TO BE FRICTIONALLY ENGAGEABLE WITH THE HEADS OF SAID ARTICLES, CORNER FLAPS CONNECTED TO THE ENDSOF CERTAIN OF SAID PANELS AND ATTACHED TO THE OTHERS TO HOLD THE WALL PANELS IN RECTANGULAR RELATION, A COVER PANEL HINGED TO THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID REAR WALL PANEL, COVER SIDE FLAPS SECURED OVERLYING THE SIDE WALLS AND ADHERED THERETO, 